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Montauk people historically spoke the Mohegan-Montauk-Narragansett language, also known as the Algonquian Y-dialect, similar to their New England neighbors, the Pequot and the Narragansett. Native Americans living on Long Island eventually became identified by European settlers by the place name of their geographic territories, such as the Montauk and the Shinnecock. The settlers mistakenly identified these loosely organized bands as "tribes," although they all shared the same culture and language.[2] The Native Americans of the east end of the Island shared a common culture with each other and with other groups along most of the northern shore of what is now called Long Island Sound.

Those in the western part of Long Island were Lenape groups, culturally and linguistically distinct and related to a people who lived in a large territory extending from western Connecticut through the lower Hudson River Valley into New Jersey, parts of eastern Pennsylvania and the northern shore of Delaware.

The Montaukett divided their roles to obtain and process foods. The Montaukett "were farmers and fishermen." While the men fished and hunted whales, the "women would harvest corn, squash and beans."[3] The men hunted whales by using their dugout canoes, made by hollowing out large trees.[3]

The Montaukett derived great wealth from the wampompeag (or wampum) available on Long Island, but its value contributed to competition, attacks and their demise. Before the Montaukett obtained metal awls from the Europeans, the Montaukett artisans would make "disk-shaped beads from quahog shells...used for trade and for tribute payments" with the nearby tribes.[4] Since the wampum became desired for trade and payment by Native Americans and the English and Dutch colonial powers, the Montaukett were raided and made politically subject by more powerful New England tribes, who demanded tribute or just stole the wampum. Introduced infectious diseases, such as smallpox, to which they had no natural immunity, and intertribal warfare, combined resulting in great population losses, similar to that suffered by other Native American groups.

In the late 17th century, Chief Wyandanch of the Montaukett signed a treaty transferring much of the territory of eastern Long Island to English settler Lion Gardiner. The Montaukett reportedly thought they were signing a treaty with the colonists for alliance and protection from the Narragansett tribe, rather than losing control of their land. This interpretation may also have been due to differing cultural concepts about land and its uses.[citation needed] According to legend, Chief Wyandanch was poisoned by tribesmen in retaliation for selling the land to the colonists.

Montaukett graves in Montauk. The only recognizable grave is that of Stephen Talkhouse.

Many Montaukett remained in the area around Montauk, chiefly because the land was often considered inaccessible. At the end of the 19th century, the most notable Montaukett was Stephen Talkhouse (Stephen Taukus “Talkhouse” Pharaoh). He was known to walk 30 to 50 miles round-trip per day from Montauk to East Hampton or Sag Harbor. Various stones on his routes, part of the present-day Paumanok Path hiking trail, have been marked with this account. P.T. Barnum featured Pharaoh as "The Last King of the Montauks", despite his being neither a king nor the last Montauk.

In 1879, an extension of the Long Island Rail Road was constructed to Montauk. Arthur W. Benson began buying up land in the area with an eye to future development. In the court battles that ensued, the Montaukett lost their legal status and right to compensation. The 1910 court case described the Montauk people as "extinct."[5] African Americans and Indians interacted in many ways. Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, African Americans and Indians intermarried; this led to the conclusion that the Montaukett were extinct.[6] Since there was intermarriage between these two groups, the lawyers argued that the Montaukett had "diluted their 'Indian blood.'" Martian Fisher Ales concluded that the Montauketts no longer existed as a tribe.[7] During the lawsuit, the Long Island Rail Road defense relied on the argument that the Montaukett had lost their cultural identity because of intermarriage; they did not understand that the Montauk and other tribes could absorb newcomers, and that their children were raised to identify as Montauk regardless of mixed race.[6]

The Montaukett Indian Nation is an unrecognized tribe of individuals who claim descent from historic Montaukett people.[5] The Montaukett Indian Nation did not become extinct but have "their own government in the position and administration of Chief Robert Pharaoh." Additionally, the nation has over 600 members on its original tribal roll."[1] The nation claims a relation to the language and culture of the now federally recognizedShinnecock Indian Nation in neighboring Southampton.

The entirety of Montauk was sold in 1890 to Arthur W. Benson "subject to the rights of the Montauk tribe of indians," noting that a few members and their families survived. In 1906 New York State passed legislation to enable the Montaukett to establish lad claims through colonial deeds from 1660 through 1702. The 1686 Dongan Patent allowed the Montauk Proprietors to purchase the remaining unpurchased lands between the ponds and east of Lake Wyandanee (Lake Montauk), a purchase that was made in 1687. In the early 20th century, the Montauk filed a land claims case under the 1906 legislation; it failed and the representatives were told that the tribe was "extinct" for the purpose of making such claim.

The Montauk Friends of Olmsted Parks/Montauk Trustee corporation claims to be the successor to the proprietors of Montauk that entered into the deeds with the Montauketts. It remains before the court making claims through the Indian deeds and the 1686 Dongan Patent and Charter. The Montauketts have been unsuccessful in getting their title back. The Montauketts recent concern has been to develop a museum and learning center in the county park.[4]

The New York State Assembly approved the 2013 Montaukett Act, which reversed the century-old state declaration that the tribe was extinct.[8] When the Senate also passed the bill, support was building for state recognition of the tribe.[9]